Inverness Raceway rolled out the red carpet for two-year-old pacing fillies on Wednesday evening, as the Atlantic Sires Stakes rolled into town
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Four divisions in total - two for the “A” level and a set for the “B” group – went postward as part of the 13-race program.
J J Solara and trainer/driver Clare MacDonald went wire-to-wire in the first $8,540 “A” event. The Coastocoast Yankee-Farline Hanover miss chopped out panels of :31.1, 1:02 and 1:32.4 before sprinting home in :29.2 to stop the clock in 2:02.1. Elm Grove Exotic was second and Putnams Dough Girl rounded out the top three.
It was the fourth consecutive victory for the youngster, who has put together a 4-1-0 record in her first five assignments. She has stashed away more than $19,000 to date for owners Morah Kerr of Greenfield and Phonsie McEachern of Port Hood, NS.
Seawind Allegra was the beneficiary of a two-hole trip in the second division, and she didn’t let her perfect trip go to waste. Danny Romo popped the daughter of Coastocoast Yankee-Seawind Alpha to the outside in the late stages of the mile and she drew clear to win by two lengths in a time of 2:01.3. Sent off as the 6-5 favourite, the Romo trainee defeated pacesetter Bettim Laura and Western Swinger.
With the victory, the filly improved her record to 2-2-0 in four starts for owners Kevin Dorey of Lower Sackville and Gary Ross of Baddeck, NS. She has banked just over $14,000 along the way.
The $2,500 “B” divisions went to We B Success (2:04) and Iona Paula (2:06.1).
It was a big night for Clare MacDonald, who sat behind three winners from her own outfit and picked up a pair of catch-driving scores to bring her nightly win total to five.
Another highlight of the night was a visit by the 2008 Canadian Driver of the Year, Paul MacDonell. He assisted with cooler presentations to Atlantic Sires Stakes winners. MacDonell was honoured in the winners’ circle with presentations from the Inverness Raceway and the Irish Road Horsemen’s Club of Port Hood for his contributions to the sport of harness racing.
(With files from ATSS)
To view Wednesday’s harness racing results, click here.